EMS - Care not station

EMS - A move to 24/7 staffing

Manitoba families deserve to have access to the right care, at the right time, in the right place. The Manitoba government is confident that better health care is within reach and is making bold changes to the health system that will make it more patient-focused, operate more efficiently and ensure it is safe, affordable and sustainable in the long term.

We are taking concrete steps now. This includes the creation of a provincial health organization, Shared Health, which will enable provincial planning and integration of services, improve patient care and provide coordinated support to regional health authorities across the province - including the recruitment and retention of health professionals - and establish provincial standards of care for all Manitobans.

Work on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 Manitoba EMS System Review will continue and will bolster our already strong provincial network of paramedic dispatch and response. Expanding or relocating existing EMS station locations and building new stations in strategic locations will allow us to better match resources with actual service demand. A number of station locations that are in poor state of repair, located in areas with very low call volumes or that have seen service discontinued due to a lack of staffing will be closed.

We will enhance staff resources with investments in 24/7 full-time paramedic positions and reduce reliance on on-call and call-back staff. These commitments will ensure Manitobans across rural Manitoba are able to access the vital and often lifesaving services of paramedics within 9-, 15- or 30-minute response times.

We are committed to making our health care system better, stronger and more affordable for Manitoba families.